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It’s the perfect time to revamp your home’s interior. If you’re going to be looking at your walls a lot more over the coming months, why not make them attention-worthy?

We spoke to Dulux colour expert Andrea Lucena-Orr about this season’s colour forecast, and how to adapt it to create your perfect winter sanctuary (that, handily, can also work well into summer). Here are five reasons to pick up a paintbrush, stat.

1. This season’s colours are super versatile

Dulux is forecasting that a moody yet neutral palette featuring greys, blues and highlighted by warm metallics and textural elements will be top of homeowners’ wish lists in coming months. While “normally with winter we’d have lots of warm colours,” says Andrea, “we thought we’d just change it up a little bit.”

The Construct colour theme is heavy on neutrals across the spectrum, from light (such as Winter Terrace, “a soft greige”, says Andrea) through to dark (Ahoy, which she describes as “an alluring deep blue”), which means it’s beautifully easy to adapt and incorporate into your home all year round.

But while high-end design trends are one thing, not everyone wants to live in an industrial-chic loft or a concrete-laden home. “Most people would not feel comfortable living in a really harsh, cold environment, so you need that balance,” explains Andrea.

“And that’s what we’ve tried to do with this winter palette… [to] give them a broad balance between going for those beautiful cooler neutrals but then adding in that little bit of warmth.”

Thus the inclusion of Concrete Effect – which gives the appearance of polished concrete – allowing you to tap into the industrial trend without having to go overboard. Similarly, Copper Effect can be used on furniture and features such as fireplaces as well as walls to add a warm, luxe touch.

Add some soft texture in the form of chunky knitted throws and warm-coloured textiles, and you’ve got a beautiful balance of coolness and warmth.

3. Painting = instant upgrade for your furnishings

Here’s a handy bonus – painting your walls can also breathe new life into old furniture and furnishings. Andrea says darker hues such as the Ahoy blue or the deep grey Panda Pod not only work with many other colours (as well as whites); they can also refocus attention on previously neglected pieces, like art and accessories; and also work beautifully with both light and dark timber furniture.

“Adding one change in a wall colour can make a dramatic difference to the feel of the space,” says Andrea. “All of a sudden you’ve got a new focus, and it just brings other things to life [in that space] as well”.

You can also use different shades of colour to ‘contour’ a room, adding depth or regulating an oddly-shaped space, adds Andrea.

4. You don’t have to over-commit

Feeling a little gun-shy? You don’t have to re-paint every wall in the house – especially if you want to test out a colour scheme you’re not 100% sure of.

“I always say to people the best room to experiment in is their personal space – so their bedroom, or maybe their office area – because that’s an area that not a lot of people go into,” explains Andrea. This means you can test out that colour you’ve had your eye on before deciding whether to expand or incorporate it into the rest of the house.

5. Neutrals translate nicely into warmer months, too

The beauty of such a neutral-based palette – even the darker hues – is that simply by changing up your accessories, you can transition into different seasons without too much fuss, says Andrea.

Simply swap out your heavier textiles and bedding for lighter linens, and add some brightly coloured hues – such as oranges or yellows – or bright whites in the form of rugs or accessories, and you’re all set for summer.

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